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Sept. 5th Already? (The August Reading List)

A long weekend followed by a productive Tuesday and BOOM…here it is, already the 5th of September and I haven’t posted my monthly recap of the books I read for August.

Without further ado (which is a phrase full of its own ado) here’s last months list:

Veronica, by Mary Gaitskill – A story of friendship between an aging, former model and an HIV+ office worker, told in that prose-morphs-to-poetry way that Gaitskill is so good at. This is a complex read, and in places I found it dragging a bit, but there is much here to admire about the way Gaitskill uses the language to tell her stories.

The Last Superstition, by Edward Fesser – The subtitle, A Refutation of the New Atheism, sums up the book well, though Fesser’s agitative style often overshadows the argument he is putting forth.

In the Middle of All This, by Fred Leebron – This novel contemplates one sibling’s response to his sister’s losing battle with cancer. Both heartfelt and funny.

The Goodbye Child, by Dominique Traverse Locke – A lovely poetry chapbook. Keep your eyes open for more about this book, and the author.

Writing About Your Life, by William Zinsser – Wonderful book, even if you aren’t considering writing a memoir or personal history. Zinsser is a fabulous writer, and the sections of this book demonstrate that brilliantly.

The Insanity Defense, by Woody Allen – The collected prose of Woody Allen is worth a read, though I suggest planning to read it in small chunks. Too much at once can become a little tedious.